Suspiciously trapped in this tangled mess
by Appeltje Fruitschaal
Summary: Basically, don't get involved with corporations that make you kill people for a living.
1. Prologue

"I quit."

Dan looked up from his book. Odd, he hadn't heard the door open. In a trailer this small, you'd think it was impossible to miss anything.

"Ah, Rose. Back already?" He asked as he saw the drip wet girl. "Yeah." She said, grabbing a towel. "And I ain't going back. Seriously, why can't you go?"

Dan grinned and shrugged. "American." He pointed his thumbs at himself. "They hear it in an instant."

"What about Lyana?"

"She's Indian. Come on Rose, you're our home town girl. Thought you'd be overjoyed to be back at your home-base after being away for, what, two years?"

Rose sat down next to him and dripping water everywhere in the process Dan scowled but Rose seemed unconcerned. Of course she was. She wasn't the one who had to clean that up later.

"Three and a half. And long it has been. I don't even know what my niece looks like."

She wrung out her hair, watching as a small puddle gathered on the ground.

"Quit it will ya? We're supposed to work as professionals here, and that means we've got to keep everything clean."  
Rose rolled her eyes and hoisted her muddied boots up on the table. "Don't give me that shit, Dan. I'm twenty-one, not a fucking elderly. I'm allowed to make a mess."

And she got to the swearing. Merlin, and people said _he_ was vulgar.

"So, that bad?" Dan asked.

"Worse, pass me a beer, will ya?"

Dan almost stood up, until he noticed Rose's smirk. "Wait a minute." He said, and pointed his finger at her in accusation. "I am supposed to be your superior."

"No you're not." Rose said. "I resigned about a minute ago. You might have missed it, busy as you were freaking out about your duties as maid."

Dan wondered if she was once again introducing him with her black, unfunny humour. "You can't resign Rosie." He said in the same voice he used when talking to someone on the edge of blowing himself and everyone around him up.

"Yes I can." Rose began wriggling herself out of her wet clothes. "God, I hate the English weather. I forgot how fucking bleak and wet it was."

"Cloud should have been here for that one." Someone murmured behind Dan.

Silently cursing himself for being snuck up on for the second time that night, Dan shot up and turning around, pointing the gun that had materialised in his hand at the forehead of the stranger.  
"Oh, it's just you." Dan said. Mieke raised an eyebrow and swatted his gun away. "It's rude to point." She scolded.

"Maybe you should punish-"

Rose groaned loudly. "Shut up. I'm going to be seriously ill if you two keep talking."  
Mieke chuckled and threw something at Rose, hitting her straight between the eyes. "Your beer." She said.

"So, why is she in such a good mood?" Mieke asked Dan. Dan shrugged. "Beats me. When I asked, she nearly tore me head off."

"You didn't ask." Rose huffed.

"And she nearly bit my head off when I did my job and pointed out she shouldn't make a mess." He pouted. Mieke threw her head back and laughed. "She does have quite the temper."

"I am right here, you know."

"She does, doesn't she?" Dan agreed. "I find it scary."  
Mieke sat down in his chair and shrugged. "Well, it could be a lot worse. I know someone who shot anyone who annoyed him without warning."

Rose puffed out her cheeks and said "And I can hear you."

Dan ignored it and looked at the wall. He wished there were windows inside the trailer that had been assigned to them instead of metal everywhere. It gave the feeling of claustrophobia.

"So why did you quit?" he asked, serious once more.

Rose turned serious as well. "I don't want to be here." She said, and looked away. "I don't want to be in Great Britain, let stand in London."

Dan frowned and exchanged a look with Mieke.

"Why not?" She asked.

Rose flicked her hair out of her face, suddenly irritated. "Does it matter? I quit. And It's possible. I ain't your property, Was told I could stop whenever I wanted."

"Rose, keep that shit to yourself. We both know you ain't going to quit, so just spit it out and we'll try to help you as best as we can so we can get on with this mission." Dan said.

Rose glared at him and scraped her boots over the carpet. Dan watched the mud stuck to it with wide eyes and a hopeless sound escaped his lips.

"Cruel." He whimpered

"Okay, I'll let you why." Rose said hotly, her cheeks had turned the familiar shade of anger. "I was sent out to patrol London and I ran into three people I knew and saw five others. There is no way I can do my job when I am constantly interrupted by people who insist on stopping me and telling me_ how good I look_ and asking me_ how my tour around the world went_ and if I knew that_ O my god there was a bombing near where you were staying in Gabon, did you notice anything_." She mimicked a high shrill voice.

"No, I didn't notice a fucking thing. It wasn't like a civil war fucking broke out over it or anything." She said bitterly.

Mieke nodded. "Okay, I get it." She said without a trace of sympathy in her voice. "But your job isn't being a shadow, that's mine and Lyana's job. And Dan and Cloud are the ones that are supposed to keep a low profile. You, you're job is the opposite."

Rose spat. "Yeah, I know. Return home, be a happy girl, find any targets hiding in the higher ranks and take them out."

"Exactly, so what's the problem?"

"That they are still the same, Mieke. I don't fucking know how to talk to them any more I ran into my best friend from school today, and all I was, was irritated that she was still this naive little thing that still whispered the word Voldemort and swallowed any curse word."

"And you ain't that any more." Dan finished.

"I ain't that." Rose agreed. "Fuck, I never used the word ain't... Or fuck for that matter."

"Well..." Mieke said. "It couldn't hurt for you to clean up your language a bit. Dan influenced it too much."

"Oh, yeah, blame me." Dan scowled. "Very mature. It's her fault that she copied it, and she curses more than me."  
"And who taught her those curse words?" Mieke crossed her arms.  
Dan shrugged. "Life?"

"So, anyway." Rose said forcefully, feeling the tension between Mieke and Dan build. "I can't go back to my family like this. They'll ask questions, questions I can't -or more specifically, aren't allowed to - answer."  
Mieke stood up and walked towards the one desk in the little trailer. She picked up some files. "Lets see.."

"Rose Weasley, Daughter of Ronald Weasley, Deputy-head-auror, and Hermione Weasey -Head of the department of law enforcement. Niece of Harry potter - Head of the auror office, Niece of Percy Weasley - Senior under secretary of the minister of magic, Acquaintance of Bentley Key -Minister of Magic, Niece of George Weasley - Co-finder and Owner of the mutational Weasley Wizards Wheezes . Need I go on?"

She glanced up and looked straight at Rose, who was scowling in return.  
"There is no one else for this slot, and You know as well as we do what is at stake."

Rose shrugged.

"You can't bail out on us now because it's going to be hard. We know it isn't easy."  
"Ain't no perfect mission for us either." Dan added.  
"But you can't stop because of that, there is none else for this job."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Then find someone. They're good in finding people, you should know."

"Stop being so melodramatic Rose." Mieke said.

"I am allowed to be so, I had a horrible day."

"And stop making excuses."

Rose refused to answer after that.  
The silence stretched while Mieke and Dan stared at Rose - who was looking around the trailer - willing her to speak, to answer.

"Any suspects?" She asked, seeing the notes hanging above the desk.

Dan shrugged. "Some. Not many. Well, they're more wild guesses to be truthful."

"Well, you can scratch him." Rose stood up and tore a few notes from the wall. "I know him. He ain't what we're looking for."  
"Isn't." Mieke corrected.  
Rose arched an eyebrow.  
"He isn't. You've got to clean up your language, you said so yourself. Start now."

Rose sighed. "I told you, I am not doing this. I resigned. I'm sure there's someone better for this job than me."

Mieke completely ignored it. She walked to Rose and took the paper. "You're kidding." She said. "He was the one who I was most sure about."  
Dan briefly debated if it was worth standing up for, and concluded that whatever they were discussing would never be worth the physical strain of standing up and walking over there.

"What?" Rose said. "Don't trust me? I know him. He wouldn't even consider shoplifting."  
"Well, We ain't talking about shoplifting, now, are we?" Dan asked. "So, who are the ladies talking about?"

"The Malfoy boy." Mieke said, holding up a picture of a boy in his early twenties. His pale skin and paler hair gave him an  
odd look. Dan suspected he was the sort of man that could never fade into the background.

"He's friends with my cousin, Al. they've been attached to hip since school."

Dan smiled crookedly.  
"But you haven't seen him in, what, three years?" He said, sensing his chance.

"Three years and seven months." Rose said reluctantly.

"That's some time." Mieke whistled. Rose shrugged.

"I would trust you on your word, but one can change that time." Dan slid a small case out from under the couch and opened it.

Rose shrugged. "But one's nature doesn't."

Dan examined the content of the case briefly.

France provider; Nexter.  
Content; FR F2 Sniper Rifle, MAC-50 Semi-automatic pistol. Pamas G1 Semi-automatic pistol, FAMAS assault rifle. Enough ammunition to last them at least three months.

"If you would have more current information and construct your trust on that information I would trust you in a heartbeat." Dan continued. "Looks like we got the weapons the French muggle infantry carry."

"Cloud will be delighted." Mieke said.

Rose crumpled the note in her hands in frustration. "And what if my family find out I work here? I ain't taking- "  
"I'm not." Mieke corrected.  
"the blame if they find out. I told you I'm not up for this one."

Dan shrugged and closed the case. "Do your best and I'm sure you'll do fine. They'll understand that you changed. They probably changed as well."

Rose sniffed. "So you'll take the blame?" She asked.

Dan handed her the case. "I'll take the blame. I want weekly reports, I'll find you a job. You have to do the rest. Now, don't let anyone find these." He mentioned to the case.

Rose stared from it to him in utter shock. "I have to go _now_?"

Dan nodded. "If you have any questions, call us the muggle way. Come here only when you have no other choice, or if you need a safe heaven and there aren't any other ones."

Rose bit her lip. "Can't I say goodbye to Cloud and Lyana?"  
Dan shook her head. "You said you met your friend from school, right?"

Rose nodded. "Yeah, you're right. She probably already told my family." She looked at Mieke, who was watching Rose with a forced smile.  
"I'll miss you." Rose said. Dan had caught her off guard, he realised. She didn't know how to react to his quick dismissal.

Mieke nodded once, trying to uphold her armour of being a professional. It didn't stand for long and within a few moments, the sensitive girl broke through as Mieke flung her arms around Rose.  
"Please, don't do anything stupid like getting yourself killed, Rose. I've grown too attached to you to lose you now." She sobbed into Rose's hair.

Five minutes later, Rose was gone.

"I hope she pulls it off." Mieke said, concern undeniable in her voice.  
"I'm sure she will." Dan said. "She's just scared."  
"For what?"  
"For what we are all scared off. Not being able to handle the normality after what we have been through."

**I'm awfull I know. I am supposed to work on my other stories, not start a new one... but this one won't leave me alone. I can't get it out of my head and it's the reason I can't work on my other ones. Well.. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this Prologue-y thing-y.. yeah..**


	2. Back

A strong wind made the three's groan and loose the last few leaves they still held. Rose tightened her coat around herself and cautiously opened he garden fence, looking up at the homely looking house. It looked exactly the same as it had when she had walked out of it all those years ago.  
Still the same flowers in the flowerbeds, still he same curtains lining the windows and still the same muggle junk lying in a heap in the garden.  
She swallowed and walked up to the door -Still painted the same colour green- and softly knocked on it.  
She stepped back. Inside the house, she heard muffled voices talking to each other. She hugged her bag to her chest. She remembered the big suitcase she had brought with her when she first left. It had been trice as big as this bag.  
The door opened and a big, red blur called out her name before pulling her into a hug. "Rosie! I heard you were back, but I didn't believe it. When did you come back and why didn't you come to us immediately?" Her father yelled into her ear.  
Rose laughed and hugged her father back. "Hi dad." She said. "How have you been?"  
Ron picked her up and twirled her around, exactly as he used to do when she was little.  
"Hermione!" He yelled. "Look who's here?"  
Ron finally let go off Rose, who was feeling dizzy by then. "Is the world supposed to spin?" Rose asked weakly. Ron laughed and put an arm around her. "Come in Rose. How was it, you've writing far too little." He said, steering her inside.  
Rose blushed as she thought about it. The weekly letters had slowly descended into monthly and further. The last letter she had sent had been at least four moths ago.  
"Yeah, Sorry 'bout that, dad. I've been busy and stuff." Rose said.  
"It's alright." Ron said rubbing her on the back. "Hermione!" He yelled again.  
Rose looked around he little hallway. The first signs of change were here.; the pictures decorating the big mirror. They were different. The people in the pictures were the same, but older.  
Rose stopped when she saw a picture of her oldest cousin, holding a small girl in her arms, both smiling and waving at the her.  
"Dad?" Rose asked, stroking a finger over the picture. "Is this Victoire's little girl Emmy?"  
Ron stopped as well and looked with a wide grin. "Yes, that is what they call the little devil." Ron said. "Isn't she beautiful?"  
Rose nodded, speechless.  
"What is it, honey?" Hermione's voice rang through the hallway. Rose looked past her father. her mother looked the same as always. Reading glasses propped on her nose, her messy, bushy hair lining her face, looking a bit like a piece of firework had exploded in it.  
"Rosie!" Hermione said delighted. She pushed past her husband and engulfed Rose in a hug. "Rosie, we've missed you so much! When did you come back?"  
"This morning, actually." Rose said, flicking her hair out of her eyes. "I would have writing I was coming back, but it was kind of a last minute decision..." Rose trailed off. It had just been last week that she had gotten the order to go back to Great Britain. She had been camping out someone near Moskou. Not that she had complained, it had been minus 40 decrees Celsius there. Her nose, fingers and toes had been permanently frozen.  
"Oh, that doesn't matter at all. Do you have a place to stay, or will you be staying with us?"  
Rose blushed. "Err.. well..." She stammered. "I did... But, not anymore.. well, it's a bit complicated."  
"Boy trouble?" Hermione asked with a wink. Rose blushed. "What? No, nothing like that, mum."  
"Boy trouble?" Ron growled.  
"Err..."  
"With actual boys?"  
_No, with imagined ones. _"Err..."  
"Have you been seeing _boys_?"  
_No, I already told you, imagined boys. _"Err..."  
"Ronald, lay off your daughter. She's been home for five minutes and you're already interrogating her." Hermione said sternly.  
"Oh, yes. Of course dear." Ron said, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sorry."  
Rose stared at her mother, who winked back. "So that is settled then, you are staying with us."  
"Oh, no. I can stay in the Leaky cauldron mum. I was planning to stay there until I found my own place." Rose said, waving her hands around.  
"Nonsense." Hermione said. "You are going to stay with us." She gave her daughter a stern look, daring her to protest.  
"Are you sure it isn't a problem?" Rose asked.  
"Of course not."  
Rose smiled shyly. "Okay, thanks mum."  
"So, I expected you two to be more surprised to see me." Rose said as she dragged her bag to her old room.  
"Hugo told us that you were in London today. He heard it from.. err.." Ron said.  
"Quinn Applebee." Hermione supplied.  
"I know." Ron raised his finger. "He heard it from Quinn Applebee."  
Rose rolled her eyes. "Oh, you're right. I ran into her today. It was nice seeing her again."  
Rose entered the room that used to be hers. I was quite odd seeing it without the usual banners, decorations and mess. Rose took one hesitant step inside, looking around with wide eyes. She had never known it was this... spacey.  
"How is it to be back home again?" Ron asked, a goofy smile on his face. Rose forced a smile. _Home..._ "It's wonderful."  
She set her bag on the bed and glanced at her parents, who were still standing in the door opening, watching her like they wee afraid that if they let her out of their sight, she would disappear again.  
"So..." Rose trailed off. There was no way she was unpacking her stuff with her parents standing there. "Where's the little runt?"  
"Home. You know he lives with Lily, right?"  
Rose nodded once. "He might have mentioned it."  
Hermione rushed forward and hugged Rose again. "Oh Rosie, I've missed you so much. Please, never go away for such a long time again."

-.-

"I'd really rather sleep in." Rose murmered under her breath, moodily sulking over a teaming cup of coffee.  
"Nonsense." Hermione said, fluttering around the house in search of, well, something. Why was everything Rose said nonsense? She made plenty of sense, thank you very much.  
"It's the first Sunday in the month. You know that we all visit Grandpa Weasley then." She looked around. "You haven't seen Ron's watch anywhere, have you? No? Oh, what are we going to do with him?"  
Rose shrugged. "It could be worse. Remember when Hugo lost his wand?"  
Hermione groaned and sat down next to Rose. "Don't remind me. It took us two whole days to find it."  
"I know." Rose sipped her coffee. "I find it the perfect reason why I can seep in." Hermione frowned in confusion. "What, because Hugo lost his wand years ago?"  
"No," She took another sip. "That dad lost his watch. While you search, I sleep."  
She glanced around the room. "Where is dad in the first place?" Her mother rubbed the back of her head and smiled forcefully. "Don't tell me he's still in bed." Rose groaned.  
"He is supposed to be looking upstairs."  
"He's in bed." Rose concluded. "Unfair. If I have to be awake, so does he."

"I don't wanna now, Harry. I'll make my report later." Ron murmured in his sleep. Rose rolled her eyes and shook him more persistently "It's five weeks late." She said in a deep voice. "If you don't make it today, I'll tell Ginny she doesn't have to cook that cake after all."  
"I'm up." Ron shot upright.  
"Finally. Seriously, how often do you sleep during work hours?" Rose asked. He grumbled something comprehensible and fall back down.  
"Oh, no you don't." Rose pulled his covers off him, revealing him, already fully dressed in his good robes. "Now get up, you are crumpling your robes, mum doesn't like that. She's still convinced she can train you for the better."  
"Gerrof." Ron said, reaching for the blanket.  
"Oh well, if you don't want to get up, I suppose I could let you sleep a little longer." Rose said. "Sleep tight." And she left the room, carrying the blankets with her.

Rose nervously fumbled with her coat. The burrow looked as crooked and unstable as it always had and Rose wondered if that would ever change. She looked out over the messy garden and saw a few gnomes running about, probably enjoying the cold weather. Rose had read somewhere that gnomes were most active in the winter because they liked the cold and that that was where the legend of gnomes helping Santa Claus came from.

"Stop fumbling, honey. We're almost there." Hermione said. Rose stopped fumbling and bit her lip in stead.  
"Who did you say were coming again?" She asked, thinking of the single car parked in front of the garden.  
Hermione thought for a moment. "I don't exactly know. I know Hugo is going to be there, and Ginny and Harry with Al an Lily. Mr. Weasley of course, but other than that, I don't know. It depends on who had time."  
Rose nodded, scratching her nose nervously. They reached the door and Hermione knocked on it.  
Al was going to be there. If he was, would that mean his roommate was going to be here as well? He had brought Scorpius before. Damned Dan, She didn't want to be here, dammit. It was all to much. They would all ask how it went and where she had been, and other crap like that, and she would be forced to lie, and lie, and lie again.  
The door opened, revealing a grinning Hugo.  
"Hi, little runt." Rose said. Hugo laughed and threw his arms around her. "Who are you calling little?" He asked, towering over her like the giant he was. Rose still suspected it was the work of a stretching spell.  
"The smallest giant in the world, of course." Rose replayed. Hugo let go of her and laughed again. "Hi, mum. Hi, dad." he said, looking over Rose's head. "Almost everyone's already inside."  
As if she had heard him say it, Lily yelled "Who is it, Hugo?"  
Hugo's face lit up and Rose knew that gleam in his eyes. "My folks." He yelled back. He looked pointedly at Ron and Hermione, who smiled and hurried inside.  
Rose frowned, looking to Hugo for an explanation "I told mum and dad to tell no one that you were back." Hugo said excitedly, jumping up and down like a toddler in a candy store. "So they don't know yet. You're going to be the big surprise."  
Great. Exactly what she wanted. Everyone's focus on her, what she had done and why she came back so suddenly.  
"Come on, don't just stand there, they're waiting." Hugo said, pulling Rose inside.

**I hope you enjoyed it..**


End file.
